1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metallurgical plant comprising an enclosure and in said enclosure a metallurgical vessel, wherein said enclosure comprises a side wall formed with at least one charging opening, which is adapted to be closed and permits a charging box to move through said opening, and a charging crane for moving the charging box in the enclosure between a stand-by position and a charging position over the metallurgical vessel, which is provided with a cover that is adapted to be opened.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known (Grubert, K.; Haering, H.U.; Marchand, D.; Muth, S.: Einsatz enger Elektroofen-Einhausungen zur Abgaserfassung und Larmminderung, Stahl and Eisen 104 (1984), No. 5, pages 235 to 239) that the adverse effect of flue gases and noise on the environment during the charging of a metallurgical vessel, such as an electric furnace, can be limited by an enclosure the electric furnace, which provides between the furnace and a side wall formed with a charging opening a space which is adapted to receive a charging box. By means of a charging crane disposed outside the enclosure, the charging box can be moved through the charging opening in said side wall to a waiting position. The enclosure can then substantially be closed and thereafter the cover of the furnace can be lifted and can be horizontally pivotally moved away from the furnace vessel so that the latter can be charged from the charging box. In such plants the flue gases escaping from the furnace vessel can be sucked inside the enclosure and the charging opening in the side wall of the enclosure needs to be opened only when the furnace is closed by its cover. A metallurgical plant comprising such an enclosure has the disadvantage that the ropes of the charging crane, which ropes are connected to the suspension tackle for the charging box, require the enclosure to be formed in its top wall with a top opening, which extends from the charging opening in a side wall of the enclosure at least as far as to the center of the vessel, so that flue gases rising from the opened furnace vessel can escape through said top opening into the casting house. Besides, when the charging opening is open, the interior of the enclosure is in direct communication with the casting house so that it is not possible to move a full charging box into the enclosure and to remove an emptied charging box out of the enclosure as the furnace is charged.